diff --git a/src/channel.h b/src/channel.h
index 0d293ed..7e706e7 100644
--- a/src/channel.h
+++ b/src/channel.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ struct channel_t {
 };
 
 /* Globals declared in looper.c */
-extern _Atomic struct channel_t *channels;
+extern struct channel_t *_Atomic channels;
 extern atomic_int  channel_capacity;
 extern atomic_int  channel_count;
 extern int         next_channel_id;
diff --git a/src/looper.c b/src/looper.c
index 10e39b2..456c01c 100644
--- a/src/looper.c
+++ b/src/looper.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 /* Global state (shared across files) */
-_Atomic struct channel_t *channels = NULL;
+struct channel_t *_Atomic channels = NULL;
 atomic_int channel_capacity = 0;
 atomic_int channel_count = 0;
 int next_channel_id = 1;